1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention is related to data packet structures, and more particularly, to dynamic restructuring of packets in a wireless regime.
2. Background of the Art
Wireless networks (WLANs) are on the verge of becoming a mainstream connectivity solution for a wide range of customers. The IEEE 802.11 standard set guidelines for data rates (1 and 2 Mbps) that were too slow for most business requirements. The recently ratified IEEE 802.11b standard increases the data rates to 5.5 Mbps and 11 Mbps attracting renewed interest in the wireless network market. However, at this juncture, the most pressing issue associated with WLANs has been the limited throughput.
Wireless networks are not as efficient as 802.3 Ethernet networks when operating with small packet sizes. This is due in part to radio headers and collision back-off algorithms. However, in an IEEE 802.11 and 802.11b wireless LAN regime, varying packet sizes are allowed such that packets can be constructed to that which are larger than utilized in an 802.3 Ethernet environment. Thus where a station is sending more than one packet to a given destination, which occurs, for example, between bridging devices, transmission efficiency can be significantly increased by restructuring these packets into a larger single packet before transmission over the wireless medium. When this “jumbo” packet is received at the destination, it can then be disassembled.
What is needed is an architecture that dynamically restructures the packets such that throughput is increased.